Need For National Auto Strategy Received As Information

Friday, 18 September 2015 07:55

A resolution that passed in both Ingersoll and Zorra gained little traction in Woodstock

WOODSTOCK - It wasn't the news the Unifor Local 88 wanted to hear at the latest City Council meeting.

They put forth a presentation that was received as information instead of being passed. President of Unifor Local 88, Dan Borthwick, explains what they asked of council last night. "So we made a presentation to council, we believe in the influence and the importance of the auto industry to the community of Woodstock and the surrounding region. The second issue we talked about was the need for a National Auto Strategy. Out of the G7 we are the only one who doesn't have a National Auto Strategy all other countries have a National Auto Strategy." Councillors Acchione and Poetter may have been in favour of this as Councillors Tait, Shapton and Lauder were all against it.

Unifor Local 88 represents thousands of local employees and Borthwick was not pleased with the outcome. "I'm very disappointed. I do appreciate the councillors that did try to get the motion debated and the resolution passed, but I'm disappointed at Woodstock City Council as a whole for just receiving it as information. We were in Ingersoll this past Monday, and Zorra Township on Tuesday they both passed our resolution."

The presentation was an attempt to secure the future of Canada's auto industry, Dan Borthwick spoke with Heart FM about what how this could greatly effect local municipalities. "There should be no misconceptions that the City of Woodstock doesn't think that we need a National Auto Strategy, and I'm not sure why we couldn't get a resolution passed calling for a National Auto Strategy. Plants have closed, jobs have been lost, and the towns don't get the money from the taxes they could've received from good paying jobs." Unifor Local 88 are planning to continue to reach out to other townships in an attempt to secure the future of the local auto industry.